The Daily Beet

15 Dec Interview with Lindsay Nixon! Part 1

It’s no secret, we love Lindsay Nixon from Happy Herbivore! And we absolutely love her new book, Every Day Happy Herbivore! We asked you on facebook if you had any questions for Lindsay, and she has been kind enough to answer a lot of your questions.

We will be breaking the interview up into 2 posts, with 2 giveaways for Lindsay’s new book! We will also be sharing 5 recipes from her new book, 2 at the end of this post and 3 more tomorrow!

Be sure to leave a comment and tell us what plant-strong holiday meal you’ll be making this month!

Let’s get to your questions! Be sure to check out her recipes at the end of the post!

Amy asked: hard time with soups during the winter that are vegan based and taste good – like the family favorite chicken noodle. They won’t touch the substitute yet… the better than chick’n bullion style cubes from the health food market – I think you know what I mean .

Lindsay: There is a great recipe on happyherbivore.com for chickpea noodle soup. Tastes just like chicken noodle without the chicken. There are a lot of soups on the blog, as well as in both cookbooks.

Kathleen asked: What are your holiday, go-to recipes to satisfy vegans and meat-eaters at holiday parties?

Lindsay: For parties, I always take HH cookies or HH cupcakes because most people won’t turn down a dessert. For dinners in my home, I celebrate seasonal foods such as making butternut or parsnip soup, winter vegetable soups and stews, a nice grain and vegetable salad — it’s always about color. Lots of color. It helps to know the preferences of your guests and working on that too. I rarely do any sort of faux meat, I celebrate plants instead.

Betty asked: I would love to find a way to make something close to a traditional pie crust that is plat based.

Lindsay: You can make your old pie crust recipe plant-based by using vegetable shortening or earth balance. Not the most healthy, but probably the closest to the traditional one. I’ve heard you can use avocado instead of butter or shortening too. You can also make nut based crusts, which are often raw and plant-strong. I like to make a crust from whole wheat graham crackers and applesauce (recipe on my blog). It’s not like a traditional crust, but it’s good!Ginamarie asked: I just purchased her book and was surprised to see brown sugar in many of her recipes, as it’s still refined. It would be great if she could suggest a substitute that she has been successful with, specifically in baking. Agave seems to burn easily and doesn’t seem to “bake” well when used as a sugar substitute. The same with stevia. Any suggestions/recommendations would be great.

Lindsay: You can use raw sugar instead of brown sugar. I used brown sugar because it was all that was available to me in the islands (where I wrote my cook). There is also a sugar substitute chart in the back of the book that will show you how to use any sweetener you like in any recipe. I’ve heard good things about date sugar.Jacqueline asked: How do you keep your baked goods from being over-moist, specifically muffins? (including your recipes). I find the vegan lo/no fat ones seem fine fresh from the oven but when I store them they become wet and sticky on top. this sort of foils my attempt to make snacks/bfast ahead of time, but I’m sure there is a trick I don’t know yet!

Lindsay: Don’t store them in the fridge, and cover them lightly with plastic wrap, rather than in an air-tight container. You can also try to scale back the applesauce or pumpkin in the recipe — try removing 1/4 cup. If that still doesn’t work, you can try removing another 1/4 cup (1/2 cup total).

Dennis asked: Just bought the book and if these recipes are supposedly no fat added, why does she spray her pans with cooking spray?? (100% fat no matter what the label says) A 1/3 second spit does nothing to prevent food from sticking. Lindsay: You can use parchment paper, or a non-stick pan as an alternative (which I recommend as the choice method in most recipes). or silicone bakeware. Spraying with oil-spray is an option, not required. For those using that method, you can spritz for a half a second, then use a paper towel to rub it all around the dish.

Karen asked: Meat substitutes or no meat substitutes – which is healthier?

Lindsay: Are they a better choice than their animal counterpart? yes, but they’re not a whole food and many of them are down right junky with artificial ingredients and other weirdness. I think meat substitutes can be helpful for some people during their transition to a plant-based diet, and if you have some every once and a while, I think that’s fine, but I’d say make sure they’re the occasional accent to your otherwise plant-strong diet, not a key player. You can also make many at home, from scratch, using whole foods. For example, I make my own “burgers” with black beans, oats and some spices.

How about some recipes?

Skillet Refried Beans | serves 2

Sure canned refried beans are easy, but you just can’t top the taste of homemade. The little effort required here is so worth it — these beans are fantastic!

Line a skillet with a thin layer of water and saute onion over high heat until translucent and most of the water has cooked off. Add cumin, chili powder and a few dashes of paprika, stirring to coat the onions. Add beans with their juices and stir to combine. Reduce heat to low and mash beans well using a fork or potato masher. It will look very soupy, don’t be alarmed. Crank the heat up to high and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to medium and simmer 10 minutes. If the beans start popping and splashing, cover for a few minutes, then uncover. Stir every minute or so, scraping along the bottom to lift the beans. After 10 minutes the liquid should have significantly reduced. It may still be a little soupy, that is alright, it will thicken as it cools. However, if its really soupy, cook longer. Add salt and pepper to taste then serve.

Dice sweet potato into small ½-inch cubes, and set aside. Line a medium pot with a thin layer of water and saute onions and garlic for a minute. Add a pinch or two red pepper flakes and continue to cook until all the water has cooked off. Add turmeric, ¼ tsp garam masala and stir to coat. Add 1 cup broth, uncooked lentils, and bring to a boil. Once boiling reduce to low, cover, and simmer for a few minutes, about 5. Add sweet potatoes, bring to a boil again and reduce to low and simmer, until lentils are fully cooked (they expand and the sauce thickens), about 5 minutes more. Check periodically to see if you need additional broth (I tend to add an extra ½ cup but it can vary). Once lentils are cooked and sweet potatoes are fork tender, taste, adding more garam masala as desired (I like to add another ¼ tsp but some blends are stronger than others). Add spinach, continuing to stir until spinach cooks down and softens. Add salt to taste and serve.

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Engine 2 Team

The Engine 2 Team is dedicated to helping you become plant-strong! Each of us are on the plant-strong journey right along side of you!

Aaron!

Big fan of Lindsay; probably because she was one of the first that helped me figure out how to ‘do’ plant-strong cooking. The Happy Herbivore was my first cookbook after purchasing Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease. Oh, since then, there have been others but this is about Lindsay right now. She is a caring, supportive, inclusive, and non-stop worker on her blog, cookbooks, e-mails, twitter, and on and on. My holiday meals include oatmeal waffles for breakfast. For my comfort food it will be lentils and brown rice with Lindsay’s cornbread…and for the special occasion, my new lasagna creation! I’m a newbie and excited! Thanks Rip for changing lives; you have helped to change mine.

April L

my favorite this Thanksgiving was making a raw apple pie. Yummy!

Rachel Durkee

My favorite is a raw pumpkin “cheesecake” and I got my whole family to eat it, sister included. I am planning on making a raw apple pie for christmas. My plan to go plant-strong is not going to well, my mother lives with me and she is not taking to it to well. Really anti change. But it is a slow process for her. My son and I are doing awesome on it though. We eat plant strong every morning and lunch and most nights.

Molly

I just recently discovered the Happy Herbivore website and am slowly working my way through the recipes. So far, I love them! I’ve replaced all my usual Christmas treats with Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake and Banana Pumpkin Muffins. Everyone else loves them too!

http://www.stephaniemarks-ryan.com Steph Marks

Lindsay’s recipes are easy to follow and delicious. I’m excited about her new cookbook. For one of our holiday get togethers, I’ll be making a pot of minestrone soup and a big salad. Always a favorite at our house.

http://vegucatedinvancouver.blogspot.com/ Krystle

I eat plant strong every day! lol I drink green smoothies every morning for breakfast and have a big salad pretty much every day. For Christmas I will make a Tofurkey and some roasted brussel sprouts, ginger balsamic carrots, vegan stuffing, mashed cauliflower and some low fat vegan treats!

Simone

Not the most plant strong recipe but I love making cinnamon rolls for Christmas morning so I am making Lindsays recipe from her blog!

Elaine

For cold winter evenings, a hearty chili or lasagna is wonderful. I have been baking biscotti with dried cranberries and pistachios – vegan, low fat, and they make great gifts.

tabitha

i am a brand new vegan just started a month ago and learning a lot form these web sites this will be my first vegan Christmas and while i am still working out the details on what to have i am thinking about having a stuffed acorn squash with wild mushroom rice and cauliflower mash . I would really love to win this cook book as it would be my first vegan cookbook

Alan Vierra

Had our first plant strong thanksgiving for 2! I called it EVERYTHING but the bird… it was tasty and filling without the lethargic food coma. Love your blog, Looking forward to your book!

Kelly

I love the ideas in the first book which I have our family is on its first holiday season of a plant strong diet, with that we had a practice run for Thanksgiving preparing a cornbread squash stuffing for our main with lots of fun fruit salads, veggie combos and of course mashed potatoes and mushroom gravy when it was over we asked our teens which are hard convince if they felt they missed anything and the answer was an astounding No! They actually felt good about their new choices being good and healthy ones….win for team veggie!!! Happy Holidays

Chrissy

I have just started trying the recipes. I hope to start making some vegan holiday cookies soon!

Sue

I love Lindsay’s books. Bought them for gifts. Recommend them to many. And I agree with the “fake meat” thing. I’m truly not a big fan, but Lindsay’s sausages and burgers are amazing. And her Hippie Loaf? I just can’t stop talking about the Hippie Loaf! It’s to food of the gods…

Misty S.

I found Lindsay through you and your website, and boy am I ever glad I did! She has been my go to person through my whole transitioning process. I was kinda freaked out about the whole plant based thing (didn’t know where to begin, what to cook, how expensive or inexpensive it was gonna be), so I checked out and made her recipe for black bean brownies. After making them and getting pretty good reviews from the family, I decided to look further into it. Let’s just say, not a day goes by without me looking at her page, reading her blog, and trying her recipes. I just recently received her Happy Herbivore cookbook, and I’ve cooked every day from it. Winning a copy of her newest book would just be absolutely amazing! She makes wanting to be and becoming a vegan easy! Oh, and for the Thanksgiving meal, all of my side were vegan. I transformed them from omnivore recipes, to herbivore recipes. Christmas, I’ll be making Lindsay’s Black Bean Enchiladas, as we don’t do a “traditional” Christmas dinner.

Dianne

I’m just beginning my journey and have heard so many fantastic things about Lindsay’s books that I’m hoping to get one or hopefully even both of them for Christmas! We have three children. It’s my hope that we teach them while they are young to eat right so that like me, they do not have to break so many bad eating habits when they are older. Transition can be so hard!

joy olivia

For me, it’s not the holidays without squash… specifically maple-glazed butternut. Heaven on a plate.

belynda

My favorite plant based meal right now is my morning green shake. I love Lindsay recipes. Simple, few ingredients, quick. Cant wait to see the new book!

http://www.veggiesforme.com Jill

Lindsay’s first book was one of my life savers in the kitchen! I don’t want to force friends and family to give up everything I have given up (which I really don’t feel like I gave up anything….I actually feel totally fulfulled) but I definitely try to get them to taste what I make. This Christmas will be at my home…I am NOT making any meat…I told them if they want it, they bring it! (I know I am mean!). As for sides, I am planning on making a nice kale salad with a maple mustard dressing, I also am going to try my hand at Lindsay’s Crab cakes, as well as vegan cheesecake! I hope everyone tastes and sees how yummy it all is!!! Thank you for all your help!!

Abbeygirl

Her crab cakes are delicious!! I make them all the time. I even make them as appetizers, by making them smaller. I dont tell people they are vegan, I just watch them disappear.

Erin

I am still planning my holiday meal but so far it looks like butternut squash soup to start, champagne portobellos over a stuffed acorn squash, and roasted vegetables. Yay!

Shannon

This is my 3rd Christmas as a vegan. I always make a coffee cake for the family each year now. The rest if my family isn’t veg, but they love the goodies I make a lot. I’m trying to get them into other veg foods, so this may be the year I succeed! I have been using Lindsey’s first HH book and it’s awesome!

Keelan

Looks wonderful! I can’t wait to try the new recipes.

Nancy Goodman

Her Crab Cakes are awesome! Gonna make them again! I was going to ask if I could freeze them, but they sure didn’t last long enough. Ate them all up!

Abbeygirl

Our household loves Lindsay. We have her first cookbook, her e-cookbooks (which are no longer available), and I use her blog all the time, but I need to get her latest cookbook, hint, hint. I must agree with everyone else, Lindsay’s recipes are so good and they are EASY. No hard to find ingredients, and not complicated. You can easily have dinner on the table in 30 minutes or less, and it TASTE GOOD!!

http://www.beachbettypr.com Shelly Cone

I’m planning my Christmas meal, but for Thanksgiving I made a Kale, carrot and cabbage stirfry with almonds and garbonzo beans and my mom made a face and asked “ugh, what’s that?” But everyone else (they are all heavy meat eaters) loved it!

Sheila

I am transitioning into a 51% Plant-based regimen to start. I love the HH Sweet Potato Dal and I’m going to try the Refried Bean dish for homemade tacos. Winning the new Happy Herbivore book would shorten my learning curve and make my family a lot happier that they wouldn’t have to suffer through my trial and errors over the holidays, lol – I’d be an instant HH Maven!

Angelina

I’m still working through her first cookbook since I’m new to this. I have to agree that meat substitutes are just gross and my family is less than impressed with the taste. I’ve found the most success with curry dishes loaded with veggies and legumes. Fresh baked bread makes the meal feel special and satisfying.

Charissa Struble

Every holiday meal since I was 17 years old have been strictly plant based. For Thanksgiving, I enjoyed delicious stuffed mushrooms, brown sugar and almond dusted butternut squash, mashed potatoes with mushroom gravy, fresh, grilled asparagus, and yams. This Christmas, I plan to have a similar menu and picked up some extra treats including some kale, fresh herbs, and some amazing Mint Tea. So blessed to be a vegetarian and to make conscious, life altering decisions with my diet.

Angie Dankenbring

We just started living a strong plant diet. It was not an easy thing for my son and husband who were HUGE meat eaters…a lot easier for me. But they are both now living a vegetarin lifestyle and working toward veganism. My son asks at every meal if what he is eating is vegan…he is 6. I just bought “The Happy Herbivore Cookbook”…LOVE IT!! We have made the Cheater Pad Thai ( 3 times) vegetable variation, Spagetti and Meatless Meatballs ( my son didn’t know they were meatless and said “these are the best meatballs ever mommy and you shouldn’t be eating them. Have you fallen off the vegan wagon?” Funny boy!), and we have tried the Steak and Pepper Fajita’s. Would LOVE to win the new cookbook! We have absoulutly loved all the recipes we have tried from the other cookbook, they are easy and delicious!

Corrina_R

Love Happy Herbivore recipes!!! Got my sister addicted too!! Would love to win a copy of Lindsay’s new book!!! Going to make some of her Black Bean Burgers for my parents while they are here visiting us

Jessica

Lindsay is so inspirational, not just as a vegan, but as an entrepreneur. She has inspired so many to adopt a vegan lifestyle and that is just awesome. I have been vegan for almost 20 years but still find many of her recipes fresh and innovative.
For the holidays, I like to serve vegan dishes to family and friends, none of which are vegans like me. Slowly but surely I am showing them how delicious veganism can be, with the help of dishes like veggie pot pie, sweet potato dal, zucchini corn fritters, sweet potato biscuits, and black bean brownies.

Brandi Woods

My mom made me a great vegan Thanksgiving meal. Green beans, yams, butternut squash, cranberry sauce, japchae, and so on. She makes me lots of vegan Korean food all the time, including vegan kimchi! I’m a very lucky girl.

I would love this cookbook so that I could learn to cook for her.

Kay Williams Yount

Whether it is your Blog or an Interview . . . reading words from the Main Happy Herbivore is always interesting, educational, and helpful to those of us who are on our own vegan journey. Thank you for challenging and teaching us in so many ways.

http://about.me/pamela.vozza Pamela Vozza

Oh, I would love her new book! My 10yo and I have signed up for a 21-Day Yoga practice beginning January 1st and one of the daily practices is to make at least one of our daily meals entirely plant-based. Fortunately, my daughter is on board, so I’m very happy!

For Christmas, we’re celebrating with vegetarians and I’m making Pumpkin Lasagna!!

Lynnette

Lindsay’s website and cookbooks are amazing. I LOVE Happy Herbivore, and gave one to my mom too. We will be discussing Christmas and New Years menus as the kids come home from college. I love the lentils & dals and Lindsay’s seasonings. Thanksgiving we had dirty mashed potatoes & herbed green beans from Lindsay, thee were wonderful. The cranberry relish & maple mustard dressing from FOK/Julieanna were also amazing.

Brian Hyatt

The sweet potato Dal alone makes me want to go buy the book today!!!

S. Laverty

I haven’t even decided what to make for Christmas yet! Thanksgiving was chickpea cutlets, mushroom gravy, mashed sweet potatoes, corn muffins and cranberry sauce. Of course we had vegan pumpkin pie and vegan berry pie. I’m stuffed again just thinking about it. Maybe something lighter for Christmas…..yeah, right.

Bridget

My favorite is vegetarian stuffing with lots of celery and onions. Just the smell of it makes me think of home!
Just discovered Happy Herb and love it. I love that a lot of her meals are for just one person, or you just have one set of leftovers. It’s just me-I don’t need to be eating a curry for 6 days!

Michelle

Wow, every time I read something new from Lindsay, I’m amazed at how easy and economical a healthy life can be! Thank you so much for being an awesome inspiration to so many people! I’m particularly thrilled by your ideas what to do with leftovers (e.g. the mushroom stock) or how to replace fats.
I’m still young and I only recently started learning how to cook, so I’m really grateful that, thanks to you, I can do it right from the start!
Keep doing what you’re doing, you are changing lives here, Lindsay!

Sheridan

The best thing about Happy Herbivore is that it does not use a lot of “fake” meats and tofu – I hate working with tofu.

I will be making the molasses cookies from the website recent post and the oatmeal cookies from the book for my kids classroom celebrations and neighbors gifts.

Denise Welsh

Again….it’s all good

JoTay

Instead of waiting until the first of the year to introduce healthy eating I am starting during the holiday season so that I might inspire my family to follow suite. I am having fun with local grown veggies which isn’t that easy in Maine ( or so one would think) Thank you Lindsay! You have made it easy to love and cook great food. And yes made my Christmas shopping a piece of Cake? Lol

Jami

I’ve been vegetarian now for 2 1/2 years and partly vegan now for awhile. I’ve finally decided to go all the way and be a full vegan. After finding out how many foods contain gelatin(crushed horse bone and animal intestines) is what really did it for me. Who knows what other junk they put into all the food? I’m so excited about this!! It all just makes sense. Why do people want to put junk in their bodies? I don’t get it?? The truth is, vegan food is way better tasting than other food!! The ice cream is the best!! Me and my husband don’t see it the same way!! His opinion is that animals were put here for a reason, and he doesn’t care what is in food as long as it tastes good!! I’m hoping one day it will make sense to him as it has for me!! It has changed my life. I’ve never felt more alive and my food is a trillion million times better!! I don’t feel like I’m missing out or deprived of anything!!!

Marilyn

Love your skillet refried beans. The canned ones contain too much sodium for me
& my family. When my son visits after Christmas I will make Sweet Potato Dal for him. He spent a year in India & has often told me how much he likes dal. Didn’t have a vegan recipe before.

http://www.veganmachine.com Kaycee

I loved Happy Herbivore and I know I would love Everyday Happy Herbivore just as much! I plan to make tons of veggie dishes this year as usual! Tofurky, vegan mashed potatoes and gravy, lots of sides of veggies, fruit salads, and more!

Lisa

I am falling in love with the information that Lindsay writes about. She has given me the inspiration to slowly go from a vegetarian to vegan, just in time for the New Year. I think the best part is seeing the lifestyle change in my husband whose islander and very much used to spam and other…. interesting foods ;). His health is slowly improving and yet he hasn’t yet realized how I have been incorporating healthy plant based meals into his diet. Thanks be to Lindsay, who has helped shed light onto new meal ideas that make my husband none the wiser and all the more healthier! Truly, you’re books are helping add years to people’s lives. Thank you.

Donna

Can’t wait to see this book and would love to win it. I’m just learning and this will be my first plant strong holiday!

Monique

Have Lindsay’s first book. Would love the second! I follow her facebook, website and emails religiously. Love it all, but black bean burgers are a favorite.

Diana

Great tips! I love Lindsay’s first cookbook, I can’t wait to get my hands on this one and try out the recipes!

Christina Matos

I would LOVE the chance to get my hands on Lindsay’s new cookbook! Usually for holidays I try to make side dishes that are hearty enough for me to fill up on and omni-friendly enough to share with the rest of my family. they know my dishes are vegan, but if they look “normal” enough then I can get them to try them. They always end up liking them if they give it a chance. I especially love stuffed acorn squash or roasted butternut squash around the holidays. This Christmas I am due to have my first baby, so holiday cooking will take a back seat. But, hopefully with the help of this book, next year I will be back in the kitchen and trying out some new recipes.

HuskerSalad

I’m looking forward to new ideas for vegan eating. Right now I still eat dairy.

I plan to include the sweet potato dal. I made a pumpkin one before that was very similar.

Liberty

I LOVE Lindsay! Her recipes have helped me to open my husband’s mind in the ways of vegan food. He was raised in a more vegetarian family and while he appreciates the cuisine, he is still a die hard carnivore. And the mere mention of a vegan diet has been a turn off for him. As a result, I was having a hard time getting him to open his mind (and his mouth) to anything “vegan”. Which was becoming increasingly important since I am raising our children in a more responsible way.
Thankfully, Lindsay’s recipes in the Happy Herbivore changed his mind, some. So while I may not have won the war, I have won several small skirmishes and I owe that to THHC and Lindsay Nixon!

http://eatandcookthesefoods.blogspot.com/ Roxanne

I have both of her cookbooks, and waiting for the third one, and am a huge fan of her way of cooking. It’s healthy and nutritious and very tasty, not bland at all!

Lora D.

Would love to win the cookbook! Made a veggie ‘lasagna’ last night using quinoa polenta instead of noodles and it was fantastic!!

Andi S.

Love my Happy Herbivore cookbook! On Christmas Eve we eat our veganized version of an old Yugoslavian family recipe … Cabbage Rolls using Gimme Lean Sausage, onion, garlic, basmati rice and parsley wrapped in green cabbage and cooked in the crock pot with sauerkraut. Delish! On Christmas Day it’s always Lentil Loaf, mashed potatoes, vegan gravy (will have to try Lindsay’s recipe), garlicky green beans, and green salad. My son has been raised vegan since birth (he’s now a strapping 16-year old hockey player) and these are our go-to family holiday meals.

Jill

This is my first holiday season since being introduced to a plant-strong way of life by the healthy eating specialist at my local Whole Foods. Curtis showed us how to make a yummy raw apple pie with a date-nut crust, and I brought that to Thanksgiving. I’m looking forward to delving into both of your cookbooks!! Thanks for the recipes!

Brenda

I am a newbie to the vegan lifestyle (thanks to Forks Over Knives). The Happy Herbivore was my first cookbook and I am enjoying trying all the recipes. Loved the breakfast burrito!

http://www.eatdrinkandbeaware.blogspot.com Abby White

I would love to win this cookbook. One of our favorite dishes this winter has been Roasted Cauliflower and Broccoli made with a dab of coconut oil and sprinkled with turmeric. We serve this along with an herbed quinoa and it is so filling and delicious.

Diane

Love your muffin recipes! I bought myself your original HH book for my hubby to give to me for Christmas and would love to get the EHH book as well!

Plant strong holiday dish is sweet potato pie, since sweet potatoes are in season and my local farmers markets can supplement the ones I grew myself. Will also do mashed sweet potatoes as a side dish; perfectly fine as is, or mixed with mashed yukon golds. Sweet potato biscuits are also on the menu.

Cindy Mae

I am so happy I can have Eggnog with the family during the Holidays! Some of them even like my version better. Lighter and not so sweet! (and really good with Brandy)

Lynn M

I highly recommend Lindsay’s black bean burgers. Of all the black bean burger recipes I’ve tried, it is by far the best! My other favs are her Mexican cabbage, black bean brownies and brown rice breakfast…although I haven’t made the brownies in awhile because there’s so good I can’t stop at one!

greg

I want to move to a nutritional regimen which is more plant strong, in order to lose weight and be healthier. I could really use this book to inform and inspire me. I first heard of the plant-strong movement from the film FORKS OVER KNIVES.

MW

Hoping for everyday Happy herbivore for christmas!!

Freeda Moore

My family of 15 are all brand new (and very excited) vegans. We aren’t able to afford the cookbook just yet but we’re already looking forward to ordering it. We had our very first vegan Thanksgiving complete with squash, green beans, roasted pecans, fresh fruit and everything! Yum….

The Kale Kids

We made Pumpkin-Raisin Oatmeal Cookies from “The Happy Herbivore Cookbook” for Thanksgiving. Everybody LOVED them! They are our new favorite holiday dessert!
We will definitely be making them again for Christmas!

Stacey Reynolds

I am excited to read Lindsay’s book. This year I had the neighbor over for Thanksgiving and everything was vegan and the best part was that my kids couldn’t tell the difference. My son thinks vegan meals might poison him. Anyway, I have perfected a vegan version of our family recipe for pumpkin pie and it tasted just like my great-grandmother used to make. Good job to Lindsay! Thanks for writing this book.

Nikki

I made vegan pumpkin cheesecake. It was a huge hit!

Teresa H

Love both her books! I’m a plant strong eater is a house hold full of animal eaters…I’m making the sides for Christmas dinner. MashedPotatos, corn, rice/lentil mix…and HH Brown Gravy (it’s the best) — there may be other dishes but that’s all I’ve thought of so far.

Gregory Rankin

Don’t know what my meal plans are for Christmas, but for Thanksgiving I had a Field Roast, fresh steamed greenbeans, vegan cornbread stuffing and real (not instant) mashed potatoes.

I’ve enjoyed the Happy Herbivore blog for some time and would love to add her cookbook to my collection. The refried bean recipe looks delicious and easy!

http://www.veggieteach.wordpress.com Jude

I am a new fan of Lindseys. I’d love a copy of any of her books–especially the 30 min. They are on my Christmas wishlist. I love roast vegetables, stew and soups. I can’t wait to try the chick pea soup here and the Dal.

http://www.threadtwist.blogspot.com Heather

I started eating a Plant Strong diet a little over two months ago with the help of The Happy Herbivore. The book and Lindsay herself were both so very helpful in the transition. There is hardly a day that goes by that doesn’t include a HH recipe, or a variation of one. The recipe that convinced my family they could also become Plant Strong was her Apple Crisp Muffins which are the best muffins ever! For Thanksgiving we used several HH recipes, and made a Plant Strong Thanksgiving for even the Omnivores to eat. And they loved it! Right down to HH’s Nacho cheese for a snack later that night.

Janet M

Love Lindsey’s blog and recipes. The cookbooks are on my Christmas list. I’ll be so disappointed if I don’t get them—I’ll just have to buy them myself; unless I win one! I just made the black bean burgers this evening. For Christmas We will have lots of plant strong dishes featuring sweet potatoes, squashes, mushrooms, cranberries, fruit salads. I don’t care much for faux meats–enjoy beans and lentils much more.

Kreg Sterns

Plant string pumpkin pancakes!!!

Theresa4488

I love Lindsay’s work and her enthusiasm for life. She takes us along her journey and I’ve never been so positive about the plant-based diet. I also love the Esselstyn’s work and couldn’t be more thrilled that Rip and Lindsay have found ways to support each other’s work.

Ann

I’ve been working my way through some of the tasty recipes on Lindsay’s Happy Herbivore website – YUM!!! I’ve been gradually working my way from omnivore, to vegetarian, to vegan (or should I say plant strong?). I eat this way primarily for health reasons. I’m not sure what I’ll be making for Christmas dinner, since my son and boyfriend are still omnivore, but I’m working on them. I’d love to add Lindsey’s cookbook to my collection of recipes.

Colleen

I’d love a copy of Lindsey’s book! I’ll be bringing minestrone to our Christmas gathering. It was a huge hit last year–even with the Italian in attendance!

kelly

I have been using both of lindsays cookbooks. I bought the new one about a week ago.Everything we had for Thanksgiving was a Happy Herbivore recipe and I plan the same for Christmas. My sister enjoyed Thanksgiving so much,that when she came over a few days ago,she asked if she could have my new book. My puppy had already chewed the back cover a bit,so i said she could have it and i will buy another. She is trying to go from vegetarian to vegan.By the way, so far I’ve been able to convert everything to gluten free!

Stacey Lowe

I plan on adding a fun salad with grrens and spinach , golden rasins, pumkin seeds, avacado and walnuts. I stock up on flavored vinegars and add lemon or other juices to make my own healthy dressings withour High Fructose Corn Syrups.

Anne Casagrande

I’ve been mostly vegan for about 2 months. At the end of month one I had my first ever normal (without statins) lipid panel. So excited about that. If I continue and cut more fat I think I hope I can get it even lower. I found I enjoy the food. I’ve enjoyed the whole process. Reading the blogs and finding new foods has been my new entertainment. I don’t know what the holiday meal will be but it will be good and it will be vegan. PS I have a library copy of Engine 2 and it and HH books are on my Christmas list. I hope Santa is reading this.

Bev

Hmm, I think I need to win her book in order to make my plant-strong holiday meal! ‘kay thanks!

http://milanorunningmom.blogspot.com Fawn (milanorunner)

This will be my second vegan Christmas and I love exploring and discovering new ways to make old favorites in a healthy plant strong way. No one knows that I have been adding cauliflower to the potatoes and they all carry on about how good they are. Love making green bean casserole without the mushroom soup. Getting fresh ingredients has changed my kitchen and my life! I love being plant strong!

First Plant Strong Thanksgiving just celebrated this year with my husband and three sons (21, 17, & 15). Did most of the traditional vegetables, all meat free, as well as tried a Tofurky- which everyone really liked, even my oldest son, a staunch omnivore! My most requested dish is always a 7-layer salad, which I have revised to be meat free, and is still a hit.

I love all of the HH recipes. I will keep making my plant strong breakfast green smoothies through the holidays to start off my day in a healthy way. I would love some new recipes from the new book!

Dorothy

I do not need to be in the drawing as I have both books. I just wanted to say thank you for interviewing her. I’m so glad to see her being recognized for all the hard work she has done and her sense of community that she fosters.

Debra Underwood

Will be cooking Pumpkin Bread from Lindsay’s first book to take to a family Christmas gathering. Also thinking about making and taking the Easy Macaroni and Cheese and the Ranch dip with some veggies. Would love to have Lindsay’s second book.

Andrea

I’ll be taking Dr. Fuhrman’s pumpkin pie with a walnut/date crust with me to a family gathering.

Jen

I love her recipes and I just got the second book. I’m getting both of them for my sister for Christmas. She, my husband, and I share the vegan journey together. My sister has some severe food intolerance problems and has been very ill. Getting healthy again led her to a vegan diet, and I was already ovo lacto veg myself for years. My husband decided he wanted to go vegan, so of course here we are. I’m looking forward to reading our copy of The China Study. I just watched Forks Over Knives with him. He’s had stents put in since 2008, is diabetic, and wants to get better. A big thank you to all the veg doctors, coaches, nutritionists, dieticians, ect whom without we would not have gotten this information! Merry Christmas!

I have been plant strong since the day after Thanksgiving. I was so tired of feeling miserable after every meal and feeling guilty for eating too much. I stumbled on the HH site while looking for new recipes and I’ve been hooked ever since. I would love to win this cookbook as it would be my first plant strong cookbook as well.

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Interview Rip

Interested in speaking with Rip Esselstyn, Email us your request with details about the nature of the interview and timeframe.

How the Engine 2 Diet Came to Life

As a world-class triathlete turned firefighter, Rip Esselstyn was used to responding to emergencies. When he learned that one of his fellow Engine 2 firefighters in Austin, Texas was in dire physical condition with a dangerously high cholesterol level of 344, he sprang into action and motivated the entire Engine 2 firehouse to join together in plant-strong solidarity to help save the life of their friend.